Memorial of St. Augustine

Today is the memorial of St. Augustine and the day I want to keep as a memorial of our unborn baby who we lost just a couple weeks before being blessed with our newest life. We are going to try to make morning mass (in less than an hour and the girls are still asleep!) and remember him in our thoughts and prayers today.

Today I also have on my heart several friends (real and online) who I want to offer this day for. First of all for all expectant mothers and those who desire the blessing of new life. I will also ask St. Monica (St. Augustine's mom who's memorial was yesterday) for prayers as she was such a faithful prayer warrior for her son through his wayward life. I will ask for prayers for mothers whose children have fallen away from God and from the Church. I cannot imagine the pain of wondering about your child's soul. Thanks be to God our two here on earth are baptized and will be raised in the Faith, and our two in Heaven we entrust to God's mercy.

I also want to lift up Jen from "Et tu?" who is a Catholic convert from atheism and will be welcoming her third child in three years today! I will be praying for our friends Matt and Stephanie and their son Athan who are on my heart. They are the ones who lost their 2 year-old daughter Mary Clare last summer to SUDC (Sudden Unexpected Death in Childhood). Stephanie sent me a link yesterday to a contest for the Glamour Magazine's Woman of the Year contest in which the co-founder of the SUDC foundation, a Catholic mom who lost her Maria Helena 9 years ago, is in the Top 10. She has been a gift to Stephanie in her grief, as well as many other families who have lost their children in such an unexpected and unexplainable way. Please consider voting for her to help bring more awareness to their cause. So for them and all mothers who mourn the loss of their children, I pray.

And for our own unborn baby, thanks to God for this blessing of new life, and in petition that he keep him safe from harm that we might meet him this Advent! Thank you all for your prayers today!